Limb injuries

Emergency day:

Critical period of

limb injuries

Pariyut Chiarapattanakom, M.D.

Institute of OrthopaedicsLerdsin General Hospital

Topics

Initial management

Multiple injuries

Open fracture

Pelvic ring fracture

Fractures and

dislocations

Cast and Splint

Cast care

Compartment

syndrome

Fat embolism

Tendon injuries

Peripheral nerve

injuries

Arterial injuries

Initial management

Primary survey

Secondary survey

Secondary survey-Ortho

Careful history taking and physical

examination

Secondary survey-Ortho

Careful history taking and physical

examination

› Predict x-ray findings with a high degree of

accuracy

› If a fracture is suspected clinically, but x-ray

appears negative, the patient initially should

be managed with immobilization as though

a fracture were present

Secondary survey-Ortho

Careful history taking and physical

examination

Palpate the extremities

Palpate the spine

Pelvic compression

Active movement of the extremities

Specific test for each part

Secondary survey-Ortho

Plain radiographs

Special imaging techniques

› Rarely use in emergency settings

› Bone scan

› CT scan

› MRI

Secondary survey-Ortho

Criteria for adequate radiographic

studies exist; inadequate studies should

not be accepted

X-ray studies should be performed

before attempting most reduction

except when a delay would be

potentially harmful to the patient or in some field situation

Plain radiographs

Lateral crosstable C-spine

Chest AP

Pelvis AP

Specific part

Orthopaedic management

1. Irrigation and wound closure

2. Pressure dressing for vascular injury

3. Immobilization

Immobilization

Pain relieve

Prevent further damage

Immobilization

Collar for neck injury

Splint for extremities

Pelvic wrapping for pelvic injury

(may simply use bed sheet)

Early death from

orthopaedic conditions

Bleeding from pelvic fracture

Pulmonary failure from femoral and

pelvic fracture

Early stabilization is needed

Multiple injuries

Recussitation

First manage

› Dislocation

› Fracture with vascular injury

› Open fracture

Do definite fracture stabilization later

Aware deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism

Open fracture

Fracture that

connected to the

external environment

Higher rate of

infection

Early surgery within the

first twenty-four hours

(as early as possible)

Open fracture

ER management:

Remove and irrigate gross

contamination with NSS

Stop active bleeding – pressure

dressing, do not ligate vessels

Splint without reduction, unless

vascular compromise is present

Begin IV ATB (1st generation

cephalosporin) and tetanus toxoid

Open fracture

Definite management:

Debridement

Stabilize the bone

Wound closure

Antibiotic

Pelvic ring injury

Life threatening

Up to 40% of patients with an unstable

pelvic ring injury die from their injuries,

and hemodynamic instability is the main

predictor of death.

Pelvic ring injury

Pelvic compression test

› From anterior

› From lateral

PR – floating prostate, bleeding

PV – bleeding

Neurologic examination

Pelvic ring injury

IV fluid

Urinary catheter

Pelvic wrapping

X-ray

Pelvic ring injury

Young classification

Lateral compression (LC)

Anterio-posterior compression (APC)

Vertical shear (VS)

Combined

Pelvic ring injury

Instability

Displacement of posterior part of

pelvis >1 cm

Symphysis diastasis >2.5 cm

Vertical shear > 2 cm

Any neurologic injury

Hemodynamic assessment

after pelvic wrapping

› If hemodynamic is continue severely

unstable -> laparotomy

› If hemodymanic is partially control -> search

for intraperitoneal bleeding (FAST, DPL, CT)

--->evidence of intraperitoneal bleeding

Yes No

Laparotomy Angiography (& embolization)

Pelvic ring injury

Type of external fixator

Open anterior –

external fixator

Open posterior or

vertical shear – C-clamp

Fractures and dislocations

Clinical diagnosis

Pain, swelling, deformity

Tender, false motion, crepitus

Distal neurovascular status

Fractures and dislocations

Clinical diagnosis

Pain, swelling, deformity

Tender, false motion, crepitus

Distal neurovascular status

Fractures and dislocations

Radiographic diagnosis

At least 2 views

› (commonly AP, lateral)

Additional:

› Oblique view

› Compare 2 sides

› Stress view

› Special view

Fractures and dislocations

Closed reduction

Reducible Irreducible

Maintain reduction Operative

Able Unable

Non-operative (Cast, splint, traction)

Fractures and dislocations

Common fractures

Distal radius fracture

Forearm fracture

Humeral fracture

Tibial fracture

Femoral fracture

Femoral neck fracture

Common dislocations

Elbow dislocation

Shoulder dislocation

Hip dislocation

Common dislocation

Elbow dislocation

Shoulder dislocation

Hip dislocation

Common dislocations

Elbow dislocation

Shoulder dislocation

Hip dislocation

Nerye injuries accompanying dislocation

Orthopedic injury Nerve injury

Elbow dislocation Median or ulna

Shoulder dislocation Axillary

Hip dislocation Sciatic

Children are different from adults

Different in anatomy, physiology and

bone property

Less dislocation

Physeal injuries occur more commonly

than ligamentous disruption because of

the relative ligamentous strength

compared with the ease of disrupting

the physis

Children are different from adults

Specific injuries in children:

Physeal injuries

Buckle fracture

Greenstick fracture

Plastic deformation

Physeal injuries

Greenstick

Buckle or torus

Plastic deformation

Common children fractures

Entire distal humeral physeal injury

Supracondylar fracture

Lateral condyle fracture

Femoral fracture

Type of casts and slabs

Extremity

› Short

› Long

› Cylinder

› Spica (thumb, shoulder, hip)

Body

› Minerva

› Body jacket

Cast care

Elevate the limb

Frequently move

Let the cast dry for 1 day (do not cover)

Do not get wet

Do not put anything inside

Weight bearing or not

Expected cast period

Cast care

Bad signs, need to come back urgently

Pain out of proportion

Markedly swelling

Pale or congested

Loss of sensation

Discharge or bleeding

Wet cast

Mangled extremity

If either of the following criteria present,

immediate amputation is better

1. Loss of arterial inflow for longer than 6

hours, particularly in the present of a

crush injury that disrupts collateral

vessels

2. Disruption of posterior tibial nerve

Thank you

Time

Compartment syndrome

Surgical emergency

Most common in tibial fracture

Compartment syndrome

Early signs

Tight

Escalating pain

Pain with passive stretch of the

involved muscle

Compartment syndrome

Late signs -6P

Pain

Pallor

Pulselessness

Paresthesia,

Paralysis

Poikilothermia

Compartment syndrome

Intracompartment

pressure

Adjunction to clinical

examination, NOT diagnostic› >30mmHg or

› >30mmHg difference between intracompartmental pressure and diastolic blood pressure

indication for fasciotomy?

Management

Remove any cast or bandage around

the limb immediately – all layers should

be clear down to skin

Management

Fasciotomy

Emergency

Management

Delay>12 hr. often results in irreversible

muscle and nerve damage in that

compartment

If left untreated, acute compartment

syndrome can lead to more severe

conditions including rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure

Management

While the patient is awaiting definitive

treatment, the affected part should not

be elevated above the level of the heart

because this maneuver does not

improve venous outflow and reduces

arterial inflow

Fat embolism

Fat embolism – presence of fat globules

in the lung parenchyma and peripheral

circulation

Common as a subclinical event after

long bone fractures

Fat embolism syndrome

Serious manifestation of fat embolism

Common after long bone fracture in

young adults (tibia/fibula) and hip

fractures in elderly

Syndrome usually appear in 1-2 days

after an acute injury or after IM nailing

Fat embolism syndrome

Respiratory distress syndrome is the

earliest, most common, and serious

manifestation

Neurologic involvement, manifest as

restlessness, confusion, or deteriorating

mental status, is also an early sign, as are thrombocytopenia and petichial rash

Tendon injury

Flexor tendons in hand – common and

important

2 tendons in each digit: FDS, FDP

Digital flexor sheath

Tendon injury

Zones of flexor

tendon injury

Zone II –no

man’s land

Stiffness VS.

rupture

Tendon injury

Diagnosis

› Position

› Passive tenodesis

› Active motion

Suspect digital nerve injury when there is FDP tear

Tendon injury

Repair strong enough

(Core+epitendinous stitches)

Early range of motion exercise

Tendon injury

Repair strong enough

(Core+epitendinous stitches)

Early range of motion exercise

Peripheral nerve injury

Diagnosis

› Location of wound

› Sensory

› Motor

Peripheral nerve injury

Nerye injuries accompanying orthopedic injuries

Orthopedic injury Nerve injury

Elbow injury Median or ulna

Shoulder dislocation Axillary

Sacral fracture Cauda equina

Acetabular fracture Sciatic

Hip dislocation Sciatic

Femoral shaft fracture Peroneal

Knee dislocation Tibial or peroneal

Lateral tibial plateau fracture Peroneal

Peripheral nerve injury Neuralpraxia

› the least severe form of nerve injury, with complete recovery

› actual structure of the nerve remains intact, but there is an

interruption in conduction of the impulse

Axonotemesis

› disruption of the neuronal axon, but with maintenance of the

myelin sheath

› Mainly seen in crush injury

› the axon may regenerate, leading to recovery

Neurotemesis

› Not only the axon, but the encapsulating connective tissue lose

their continuity

› Regeneration

Peripheral nerve injury

Neurotemesis needs repair

Primary nerve repair

Secondary nerve repair (delay)

› Severe contamination

› Blast effect

Arterial injury

Diagnosis

Hard signs

Soft signs

Other issues of observation

Arterial injury

Hard signs

6 P (pain, pallor, pulselessness,

paresthesia, paralysis, poikilothermia)

Massive bleeding

Rapidly expanding hematoma

Palpable thrill or audible bruit over a

hematoma

Arterial injury

Other issues of observation

No pulse detected, observe

› Position of extremity

› Deformity of long bone or joint

› Capillary refill time

< 1 sec = congestion

> 3 sec = poor perfusion

Arteriography may need if pulse absent after reduction

Investigation

Localization of the defect is necessary (duplex ultrasound, arteriogram)

Except: patients with impending limb loss

from arterial occlusion or significant

external bleeding from an extremity,

immediate surgery without preliminary

arteriography of the injured extremity is

justified

Management

Non-operative VS. operative

Patient with soft signs and distal arterial pulse may have 3%-25% arterial injuries

but may not need surgery

Management

Non-operative

› Observe

Non-occlusive arterial injuries (spasm, intimal

flap, subintimal or intramural hematoma)

Careful arteriographic follow-up is necessary

› Therapeutic embolization

Isolated traumatic aneurysms of branches of

the axillary, brachial, superficial femoral, or

popliteal arteries of the profunda femoris , or of one of the named arteries in the shank

Management

Operative› Lateral arteriorrhaphy or venorrhaphy

› Patch angioplasty

› Panel or spiral vein graft

› Resection of injured segment

End-to-end anastomosis

Interposition graft

Polytetrafluoroethylene

Dacron

› By pass graft

In situ

Extra-anatomic

› Ligation

Thank you